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16/05/2019 4:48 am
The 1968 Indianapolis 500 was the second and ultimately the final year of participation for the controversial STP Granatelli Turbine machines. In 1968 the Pratt & Whitney turbine engine was installed in the Lotus 56 chassis, often known as the "Wedge Turbine" and sometimes affectionately called the "Doorstop". Another rule change for '68 dictated that cars were required to conduct three mandatory pitstops, up from two required from 1965-1967.
Mike Spence was fatally injured after a crash in turn one on May 7th. A tire broke off his Lotus Wedge Turbine and struck him in the head. This was just one month after loosing Jim Clark at Hockenheim who was scheduled to drive one of the Turbine Wedge cars at Indy that year.
Joe Leonard in the #60 "Wedge" won the pole with a speed of 171.559mph. With only two Lotus 56 cars left in the race and Leonard in the lead both his and teammate Art Pollards cars slowed and were out of the race with the end in site suffering from broken fuel pump shafts. Bobby Unser won the race and Dan Gurney finished second. The turbine engine cars and four-wheel drive transmissions were both banned at the end of the race by USAC after a short lived run. Here is the pole setting car, the "Doorstop".
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16/05/2019 12:41 pm
Incredible model. Stirs a lot of memories.